


Persistence

by peanutbutterjelly-pie (Aleakim)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Jealous Castiel, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2018-09-27 17:44:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10036730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aleakim/pseuds/peanutbutterjelly-pie
Summary: -Dean feels uncomfortable with the flirting attempts by the cashier at the grocery store, but thankfully Castiel comes to his rescue – thoughseriouslynot the way Dean expected.-





	

Dean really doesn't like visiting the small grocery store in Lebanon right at the town's center.

And thankfully most of the time he's got other options – mainly the big supermarket next to the highway –, but once in a while he's got no other choice due to time issues or saving gas or whatever else might come up.

And it's not like the store itself is crappy or something. No, not at all. It may be small, but it's got everything they need, even Dean's favorite brand of beer. Hell, they even sell those awesome chocolate brownies you can't find nearly anywhere anymore!

So yeah, it's a nice enough store.

But there's a big problem – the _cashier_ who seems to live in that stupid shop!

At least Dean's got that impression since she's _always_ there when he walks through the door, smiling at him so broadly as soon as she spots him as if the only purpose of her life is waiting for Dean to arrive at the store.

Her name is Stacy and she looks like seventeen although she reassured him many times before (by emphasizing Every. Single. Word.) that she's old enough to drink – while at the same time giggling like she just shared a juicy secret and fluttering her eyelashes in a way she probably thinks seductive. Her flirting attempts are countless, clumsy, awkward and leave Dean highly uncomfortable.

But she never stops.

Dean can't help admiring her persistence a bit. Not even hints that he could easily be her father age wise made her back off. Dean tried being nice and polite about it and used grumbles and grunts a few weeks later when his maturity hadn't been very effective, but nothing seems to impress that girl. Every time Dean starts to talk and attempts to make himself clear she simply sighs deeply and gazes into his eyes or checks out his ass, not at all interested in what he has to say.

It's infuriating.

Even the apocalypse hadn't been that annoying.

So Dean finds himself groaning in frustration when he arrives at the store and _once again_ there she is, sitting at the  register and lighting up like a freaking Christmas tree as she notices him. She even fucking _waves_ and Dean feels the corners of his mouth turning downward.

Great.

“Do you know her?” Castiel, who is standing right beside him, eyes Stacy with a scrutinizing look, apparently not exactly sure what to make of the girl's beaming smile. It doesn't happen that often that they're greeted with so much enthusiasm.

Dean, however, simply scowls and pushes the angel toward the aisles, more than determined to ignore the issue completely. He's got no desire to explain the concept of unrequited crushes to Castiel right here next to the canned beans (or ever) and instead indulges him to look for his favorite cereal. Castiel glances one last time at Stacy, further questions probably just on the tip of his tongue, but Dean's hard glare obviously makes him reconsider and he chooses to turn his attention to the full shelves.

The first few minutes he still appears a bit stiff and not as focused as Dean is used to, but rather quickly he's once again attracted by all the different shapes and colors and grabs random stuff like an unsupervised child in a huge candy shop. Seeing him like that, smiling fondly at some saltshakers, Dean's got a really hard time believing he's a celestial being with billions of years under his belt.

No, he looks more like a guy fascinated even by little things.

And Dean feels a comfortable warmth surge at his heart.

This is happening for a while now, every time Castiel does or says something that is so _Cas_. Squinting when hearing an innuendo that goes straight over his head. Arguing with the History Channel about inaccuracies. Beaming at a butterfly as if it's the most beautiful creature in existence.

Dean is barely able to control his stupid feelings anymore.

It became a permanent problem at some point and the hunter isn't sure it'll ever go away.

He freaked out at first, of course, because it's not everyday that you realize you're hopelessly in love with your best friend. He didn't know what to do, what to make of the whole mess. In the beginning he wasn't even certain whether it's been a good thing or something bad, like some kind of special torture.

But it took only one soft smile by Castiel and that thought vanished quite quickly.

However, the whole situation stayed still kinda scary.

Dean isn't used to feeling like this, so warm and safe, and he couldn't shake the sensation of wariness and disbelief since he's _Dean Freaking Winchester_ and good stuff usually doesn't happen to him! He's been screwed over by life itself on so many occasions he's basically incapable of trusting even a tiny light on the horizon.

It could blow up right into his face rather sooner than later.

But at the same time it feels _amazing_!

“Hello, Dean!” Stacy's sweet voice jerks him out of his train of thoughts, making Dean realize that they apparently managed to gather their errands and gravitate towards the register without him really noticing.

Damn, Castiel and his _everything_ are seriously distracting!

“I haven't seen you in a while, Dean!” Obviously she's in love with his name as well and Dean curses that one weak moment a few months ago when he told her the real deal and not some fake one. In his defense, he'd been hungry and exhausted at the time, merely hours after a very tiring hunt, so he didn't even consider to lie or at least stay silent and change the subject.

“Yeah, well, we've been busy,” Dean grunts, emphasizing the “we” since he sincerely hopes – against all odds – that she'll cut down her flirting with an audience nearby. Castiel even nods affirmatively, although there is clear confusion flickering in his eyes, his gaze jumping back and forth between Dean and the girl, probably wondering if there is some history involved.

And the hunter can't help but cringe because he honestly doesn't want Castiel to even _think_ that Stacy and he had a thing at some point in the past.

Like ever!

“I bet,” Stacy continues, completely ignoring the articles Dean dumps in front of her. She obviously has no intention to do her job sometime soon and instead focuses on smiling widely at the hunter as if he's a juicy birthday present and she can't wait to unwrap him. “I mean, I don't know what you're doing for a living because you insist on keeping it a secret, but seeing that you're so fit and firm, I can imagine –”

“Excuse me!” Castiel suddenly interjects, startling Stacy as if she didn't notice his presence until now. “I don't want to appear rude, but we are in a bit of a hurry.”

It's a blunt lie because they really have nowhere to be, but the angel doesn't seem to appreciate Stacy's company and _maybe_ even her lecherous glances towards Dean's physique.

At least the hunter really hopes so.

Or perhaps Castiel is just annoyed because he wants to enjoy his chocolate bars and he can't do so without Stacy doing her job first.

Either way, Dean is really grateful for the interruption.

“I'm sorry for holding you up,” Stacy says, sounding totally unapologetic. “It's just that I haven't seen Dean in a while and I thought – who are you exactly?”

There is not even one single muscle twitching in Castiel's face when he announces, “I'm his boyfriend.”

And yeah … Dean didn't expect that _at all_!

It's probably due to Stacy's own surprise that she entirely misses the way Dean's eyes grow as big as saucers and how he stares at the angel next to him in utter shock.

Did he _seriously_ hear that correctly?

“You … you're his boyfriend?” Stacy asks eventually. “Dean never mentioned you.”

Castiel smiles easily. “Oh, I'm sure he did. You probably just missed it.”

And damn, his voice sounds so bar any emotion, as if he's talking about the freaking weather, but Dean can hear the suppressed anger clear as a bell. He even would call it jealousy if he'd be brave enough to dare hoping.

“Well …” Stacy's eyebrows climb very high and she turns towards Dean again, maybe to ask for some kind of confirmation or even explanation, but obviously she's got no clue what to say to this new development because she stays silent, just staring at them.

Castiel, however, doesn't seem to mind. Before Dean knows what's happening he feels Castiel's fingers linking with his own and tries desperately to fight back a blush.

“We just came back from a long vacation actually,” Castiel lies through his teeth (because Dean seriously wouldn't call crushing a vampire's nest and burning their rotting bodies a 'vacation') and plasters a smile onto his lips. “It's been very romantic. Dean proposed to me.”

Stacy's jaw seems a bit out of control for a second before she manages a, “Really?”

She looks at Dean who feels a nearly unbearable heat crawling up his neck. “Um …” he says eloquently, fidgeting awkwardly.

_Seriously?_

“So we are really in a hurry,” Castiel continues. “We're very eager to celebrate our engagement in our bedroom. Several times.”

Oh, _dammit all to hell_!

Dean completely misses the next few minutes because he can't help imagining this specific scenario in his head and it does some very weird things to his body. He's sure he even blacks out for a couple of seconds since he finds himself suddenly on the parking lot right next to the Impala, Stacy looking at them through the big window with a wistful expression on her face.

Like a girl who knows that she had lost.

“I'm sorry, Dean,” Castiel suddenly says, jerking the hunter out of his thoughts. He's still standing quite close to Dean, ignoring every single rule about personal space ever invented, and apparently didn't deem it necessary to let go of Dean's hand. Hell, it even seems like he's gripping tighter than before, as if the sheer concept of putting some distance between each other doesn't sit right with him.

“Uh …” Dean blinks a few times, clearing his mind. “Sorry? For what?”

Castiel casts a glance in Stacy's direction. “I didn't mean to interfere, but you seemed ill at ease. I hope I didn't misinterpret the situation?”

Dean instantly shakes his head. “No, man,” he assures. “Well … she's been very persistent in the past and I never knew how to make her stop.” The corners of his mouth curl upwards. “Maybe the 'boyfriend' thing will shut her up for some time.”

His heart jumps thinking about Castiel's steady voice. He sounded so freaking convincing, like there is no reason at all to contradict him.

“Yes, I saw this in a movie a few days ago,” Castiel confirms, smiling lightly. “It's called the 'fake relationship trope', if I'm correct.”

Dean bites his lower lip. “Yeah, well … I think it might be effective with her.”

And not just her.

“Good.” Castiel nods. “I didn't like the way she looked at you.”

Dean feels some hope welling up inside of him and he hears himself ask, “Jealous?” before he can stop himself.

The angel tilts his head and looks like he's considering Dean's question with earnest scrutiny. His gaze is trained on the hunter, so fucking intense that Dean finds himself shuddering.

Eventually Castiel replies, “Yes, I think so”, sounding quite surprised by his own revelation.

Dean simply stares at him for a moment, his jaw dropped. “You … _really_?”

Castiel squints his eyes and appears like he's assessing all the foreign feelings buried deep inside his very being. “Emotions can be rather confusing sometimes,” he admits. “And it's oftentimes hard for me to identify them. But yes, I guess you may call it jealousy.”

Dean lets out a breathy laugh, not at all knowing how he should react to a statement like that, and looks at their joined hands. It seems like they belong together.

And Dean feels no urge at all to let go anytime soon.

After what feels like an eternity he asks, “Hey, Cas?”

“Yes, Dean?”

Dean's skin prickles like crazy. “You … you wanna grab a bite? There's a burger joint right here around the corner, their fries are to die for.”

Castiel's lips twitch into a smile. “Are you asking me on a date?”

Dean rubs the back of his neck and tries to shrug casually. “Well … we're already engaged after all, so …”

Castiel chuckles and squeezes Dean's hand. “I would love to 'grab a bite'.”

And  _of course_ he's using freaking air-quotes because he's a weird dork, looking absolutely endearing, and Dean counts himself the luckiest guy in the universe.

 

**Author's Note:**

> For more Destiel and SPN just visit my [tumblr](http://all-i-need-is-destiel.tumblr.com) :D


End file.
